U.S. patent application number 11/511668 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-24 for sterilized syringe.
Invention is credited to Rex O. Bare, Steve Kampff, Jeffrey Smith, Daniel Thayer.
Application Number | 20080097306 11/511668 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39136424 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080097306 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smith; Jeffrey ; et
al. |
April 24, 2008 |
Sterilized syringe
Abstract
A method of maintaining sterility of fluidic medication in a
fluidic medication container despite repeated extractions of the
fluidic medication is provided. Also, a method of injecting a
patient with fluidic medication without exposing the fluidic
medication to ambient air is provided. The method may comprise the
steps of providing a syringe with a sterilized variable fluid
chamber with sterilized gas wherein the syringe is in a retracted
position. A needle of the syringe is inserted into the fluidic
medication container and the sterilized gas in the sterilized
variable fluid chamber is transferred into the fluidic medication
container to pressurize the same. Thereafter, fluidic medication is
transferred from the fluidic medication container into the
sterilized variable fluid chamber. The needle is removed from the
fluidic medication container and inserted into the patient. The
patient is injected with the fluidic medication in the sterilized
variable fluid chamber.
Inventors: |
Smith; Jeffrey; (Irvine,
CA) ; Thayer; Daniel; (Mission Viejo, CA) ;
Bare; Rex O.; (Irvine, CA) ; Kampff; Steve;
(Newport Beach, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STETINA BRUNDA GARRED & BRUCKER
75 ENTERPRISE, SUITE 250
ALISO VIEJO
CA
92656
US
|
Family ID: |
39136424 |
Appl. No.: |
11/511668 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/110 ;
128/898; 604/171 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 5/1782 20130101;
A61M 5/002 20130101; A61M 2005/3117 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/110 ;
604/171; 128/898 |
International
Class: |
A61M 5/00 20060101
A61M005/00; A61B 19/00 20060101 A61B019/00 |
Claims
1. A method of injecting a patient in a sterile manner, the method
comprising the steps of: a. providing a syringe in a retracted
position with sterilized gas within a sterilized variable fluid
chamber; b. inserting a needle of the syringe in a sterile fluidic
medication container; c. traversing the syringe toward a filling
position thereby transferring the sterilized gas of the variable
fluid chamber into the sterile fluidic medication container and
pressuring the sterile fluidic medication container; d. traversing
the syringe toward the retracted position thereby transferring
fluidic medication contained within the sterile fluidic medication
container into the sterilized variable fluid chamber; e. removing
the needle of the syringe from the sterile fluidic medication
container; and f. injecting the patient with the fluidic medication
transferred into the sterilized variable fluid chamber.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the inserting step is
characterized by inserting the needle of the syringe through a self
sealing rubber stopper of the sterile fluidic medication
container.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: a.
disposing the retractable safety syringe in a package with the
syringe in the retracted position; and b. sterilizing an inner
volume of the package.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the providing step, the
retractable safety syringe is normally in the retracted
position.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step further
includes the step of providing a retractable safety syringe.
6. A method of maintaining sterility of a fluidic medication
container despite repeated extractions of fluidic medication from
the fluidic medication container, the method comprising the steps
of: a. providing a plurality of sterilized syringes in a retracted
position with sterilized gas in a sterilized variable fluid
chamber; b. providing a sterile fluidic medication container
wherein the container comprises a vial, fluidic medication
contained within the vial, and a self sealing rubber stopper to
contain the fluidic medication within the vial; c. extracting
fluidic medication from the vial via a first sterilized syringe,
the extracting step comprising the steps of: inserting a needle of
the first sterilized syringe into the sterile fluidic medication
container; transferring the sterilized gas of the sterilized
variable fluid chamber of the first sterilized syringe into the
sterile fluidic medication container; transferring the fluidic
medication of the sterile fluidic medication container into the
sterilized variable fluid chamber of the first sterilized syringe;
removing the needle of the first sterilized syringe from the
sterile fluidic medication container; d. extracting fluidic
medication from the via a second sterilized syringe, the extracting
step comprising the steps of: inserting a needle of the second
sterilized syringe into the sterile fluidic medication container;
transferring the sterilized gas of the sterilized variable fluid
chamber of the second sterilized syringe into the sterile fluidic
medication container; transferring the fluidic medication of the
sterile fluidic medication container into the sterilized variable
fluid chamber of the second sterilized syringe; removing the needle
of the second sterilized syringe from the sterile fluidic
medication container.
7. A device for maintaining sterility of a fluidic medication
container and for injecting a patient with fluidic medication
without exposing the fluidic medication to ambient air, the syringe
comprising: a syringe having a sterilized variable fluid chamber
with sterile air contained in the sterilized variable fluid
chamber; and a hermetically sealed package sized and configured to
receive the syringe, the package having a sterilized inner surface
and sterile air contained in the package; wherein the syringe is
disposed within the hermetically sealed package with the syringe at
a retracted position for providing sterilized air within the
sterilized variable fluid chamber to be transferred into the
sterile fluidic medication container.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the syringe is a vacuum operated
automatic retractable safety syringe.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,236,
filed Jun. 20, 2000, the entire content of which is expressly
incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present invention relates to maintaining a sterile
environment in which fluidic medication travels from a medication
vial to a syringe and ultimately to the patient. Also, the present
invention relates to maintaining sterility of fluidic medication
contained in a sterilized medication vial such that the sterilized
medication vial may be repeatedly extracted and none of the fluidic
medication wasted.
[0004] Prior art syringes are sterilized before they are provided
to medical professionals or users to prevent infections caused by
contaminants that may reside in the prior art syringe and be
ultimately injected into the patient along with the fluidic
medication. Unfortunately, the process of injecting the patient
with fluidic medication via prior art sterilized syringes still
creates an inherent risk of contaminating the fluidic medication
and injecting the patent with contaminated fluidic medication. In
particular, during the process of injecting fluidic medication into
the patient, the risk of contaminating the fluidic medication to be
injected occurs when the fluidic medication is exposed to ambient
air or surfaces exposed to ambient air. The fluidic medication
"picks up" contaminants when the fluidic medication is exposed to
ambient air or surfaces exposed to ambient air because viruses,
bacteria and other unwanted contaminants may be in the ambient
air.
[0005] For example, all prior art syringes are provided to medical
professionals or users with a piston closely adjacent to a distal
end of the syringe body. At this point, the syringe is sterile.
During operation of the prior art syringe, the piston must be
initially traversed away from the distal end of the syringe body
and toward the proximal end of the syringe body. Such traversal of
the piston away from the distal end of the syringe body increases a
volume of a variable fluid chamber and simultaneously introduces
ambient air into the variable fluid chamber.
[0006] Unfortunately, the ambient air introduced into the variable
fluid chamber may contain viruses, bacteria or other unwanted
contaminants. The viruses, bacteria and unwanted contaminants may
be lodged onto the surfaces of the variable fluid chamber. Now, the
variable fluid chamber of the prior art syringe is unsterilized or
contaminated. Fluidic medication extracted from a medication vial
is held in the contaminated variable fluid chamber just prior to
injection into the patient, and thus, the fluidic medication to be
injected into the patient is contaminated.
[0007] The fluidic medication to be injected into the patient may
also be contaminated before the fluidic medication is introduced
into the variable fluid chamber. In particular, as stated above,
the piston of the prior art syringe is traversed away from the
distal end of the syringe body. This introduces ambient air, which
may contain contaminants, into the variable fluid chamber. The
contaminated ambient air in the variable fluid chamber is then
transferred into the medication vial by inserting the syringe
needle into the medication vial and traversing the piston toward
the distal end of the syringe body to pressurize the medication
vial. Beneficially, the increased pressure assists in withdrawal of
the fluidic medication from the medication vial. Unfortunately, the
contaminated ambient air is now inside the medication vial, and
thus, the fluidic medication in the medication vial has become
contaminated.
[0008] The fluidic medication in the medication vial which has
become contaminated is now transferred into the variable fluid
chamber. In particular, the medication vial and the prior art
syringe are inverted. The tip of the syringe needle is positioned
within the contaminated fluidic medication. The piston of the
syringe is traversed away from the distal end of the syringe body.
The increased pressure in the medication vial and the traversal of
the piston transfers the contaminated fluidic medication into the
variable fluid chamber.
[0009] Accordingly, the fluidic medication to be injected into the
patient may become contaminated at two different stages. First, the
fluidic medication may become contaminated when contaminated air is
introduced into the medication vial. Second, the fluidic medication
may become contaminated when the fluidic medication is transferred
into the contaminated variable fluid chamber.
[0010] In view of the above discussion, the current practice of
hospitals, doctors, nurses is to discard any remaining fluidic
medication in the medication vial after a single does of fluidic
medication has been withdrawn from the medication vial. The reason
is that repeatedly introducing contaminated ambient air into the
medication vial to pressurize the medication vial increases the
number and types of viruses, bacteria and other unwanted
contaminants into the fluidic medication. Unfortunately, the
current practice wastes potentially expensive fluidic medication.
For example, if the medication vial contained a sufficient amount
of fluidic medication for four doses but the patient only required
one dose, then the remaining three doses would be discarded due to
contamination of the remaining fluidic medication when the first
dose was withdrawn. This practice wastes the remaining three doses
of fluidic medication. In expensive treatments, this practice may
cost the hospital a substantial amount of money.
[0011] In sum, the current practice of injecting fluidic medication
wastes fluidic medication. Also, in prior art syringes, the basic
operation of the syringe creates an inherent risk of injecting the
patient with contaminated fluidic medication.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0012] The syringe and the method discussed herein addresses the
deficiencies in the art discussed above, below and those that are
known in the art.
[0013] The method may comprise the steps of providing a syringe
with a sterilized variable fluid chamber with sterilized air
contained therein. The syringe may be disposed within a
hermetically sealed package with the syringe at a retracted
position or the piston positioned away from the distal end of the
syringe body. Once the syringe is transported to a user or medical
professional, the user or medical professional may remove the
syringe from the package. At this point, the ambient air is not
mixed with the sterilized air in the sterilized variable fluid
chamber or introduced into the sterilized variable fluid chamber.
The user inserts a needle of the syringe into a fluidic medication
container and transfers the sterilized air in the sterilized
variable fluid chamber into the fluidic medication container
thereby pressurizing the fluidic medication container. The piston
did not have to be traversed rearwardly away from the distal end of
the syringe body to introduce contaminated ambient air into the
variable fluid chamber. Sterilized air to be injected into the
medication vial was already in the variable fluid chamber. A distal
tip of a needle of the syringe is then positioned within the
fluidic medication of the fluidic medication container. The syringe
is then traversed back toward the retracted position. Traversal of
the syringe back toward the retracted position and the pressure
within the fluidic medication container urges the fluidic
medication in the fluidic medication container through the needle
and into the sterilized variable fluid chamber. The needle of the
syringe is removed from the fluidic medication container and is
inserted into the body of the patient. The fluidic medication is
then injected into the patient. Thereafter, the needle is removed
from the patient and the syringe is discarded.
[0014] Accordingly, the fluidic medication extracted from the
fluidic medication container has not been exposed to ambient air or
surface exposed to ambient air throughout the entire process of
injecting the patient with the fluidic medication, and thus, the
fluidic medication injected into the patient is sterile. Also, the
fluidic medication container may be repeatedly accessed to extract
fluidic medication to deplete all of the fluidic medication in the
fluidic medication container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These and other features and advantages of the various
embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect
to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers
refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a top view of a syringe disposed in a package;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of maintaining sterility
of fluidic medication in a fluidic medication container and
injecting a patient with fluidic medication in a sterile
manner;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a fluidic medication container
containing fluidic medication and a syringe in a retracted position
wherein a needle of the syringe is to be inserted into the fluidic
medication container;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the syringe needle inserted
into the fluidic medication container and sterilized air in the
sterilized variable fluid chamber transferred into the fluidic
medication container to pressurize the same;
[0020] FIG. 5 is an illustration of fluidic medication being
withdrawn into the sterilized variable fluid chamber; and
[0021] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a patient being injected with
the fluidic medication.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Referring now to the drawings which are for the purpose of
illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the same, FIG. 1
illustrates a syringe 10 disposed in a hermetically sealed package
12. The syringe 10 may be any one of a plurality of different types
of syringes such as a standard syringe or an automatically
retractable safety syringe (discussed later). The contents of the
hermetically sealed package 12 including the syringe 10 may be
sterilized. In particular, the gas (e.g., air) contained within the
hermetically sealed package 12 and within a variable fluid chamber
14 of the syringe 10 may be sterilized. Moreover, the surfaces,
preferably, the internal surface of the hermetically sealed package
12 as well as the needle 16 and the surfaces defining the variable
fluid chamber 14 may be sterilized. Preferably, all surfaces of the
syringe 10 may be sterilized prior to packaging the syringe 10 in
the hermetically sealed package 12. This sterilized syringe 10 may
be provided to the medical professional or user for injecting
fluidic medication 18 into a patient 20.
[0023] The syringe 10 disposed in the hermetically sealed package
12 may be sterilized as follows. First, a plurality of syringe
components (e.g., syringe body 22, needle 16, needle holder 23,
piston 24, plunger shaft 26, thumb platform 28 and seals (not
shown)) may be provided. These components of the syringe 10 may be
fabricated via any process known in the art such as injection
molding and with any material suitable for use as syringe
components. After the syringe components are fabricated, the
syringe components may be sterilized in a clean room environment as
well as assembled in the clean room environment. At this point, the
variable fluid chamber 14 of the syringe 10 is sterile in that the
surfaces defining the variable fluid chamber 14 as well as the gas
(e.g., air) in the variable fluid chamber 14 is sterile. A
plurality of plastic packages 12 may be provided and one sterilized
syringe 10 may be inserted into each package 12. These packages 12
may also be sterilized such that the sterilized syringe 10 may not
become subsequently contaminated. The packages 12 are then
hermetically sealed to ensure that the sterilized syringe 10
remains sterile when the sterilized syringe 10 is transported from
the manufacturer to the medical professional or user.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the syringe 10 may be provided to the
medical professional with the piston 24 in the retracted position.
As such, the air within the variable fluid chamber 14 is sterile
and the surfaces of the syringe 10 defining the variable fluid
chamber 14 is also sterile when the syringe 10 is removed from the
package 12. When the needle 16 is inserted into the fluidic
medication container 30 and the sterile air within the variable
fluid chamber 14 is transferred into the fluidic medication
container 30 to pressurize the same and to assist in withdrawal of
the fluidic medication 18 from the fluidic medication container 30
to the variable fluid chamber 14, the fluidic medication container
30, and more particularly, the contents within the fluidic
medication container 30 remains sterile because only sterilized air
(i.e., sterilized air contained within the variable fluid chamber
14) is used to pressurize the fluidic medication container 30, as
shown in FIG. 4. In this manner, the inner contents of the fluidic
medication container 30, namely, the gas (e.g., air) within the
fluidic medication container 30 as well as the fluidic medication
18 itself is not contaminated. As such, the fluidic medication 18
remaining in the fluidic medication container 30 may be repeatedly
extracted via the steps discussed herein until all of the fluidic
medication 18 has been dispensed.
[0025] In a first aspect, the fluidic medication 18 injected into
the patient 20 does not come into contact with ambient air
throughout the entire process of injecting fluidic medication 18
into the patient 20. As discussed above, when the syringe 10 is
packed in the hermetically sealed package 12, the syringe 10 and
all surfaces are sterilized. Additionally, the syringe 10 may be
packed in the hermetically sealed package 12 while in a clean room
environment. As such, the gas within the hermetically sealed
package 12 and within the variable fluid chamber 14 may be
characterized as being sterilized. Additionally, the components of
the syringes 10 themselves may also be characterized as being
sterile.
[0026] To inject the patient 20 (see FIG. 6) with fluidic
medication 18, the syringe 10 is initially removed from the
hermetically sealed package 12. Once the syringe 10 is removed from
the hermetically sealed package 12, the exterior surfaces of the
syringe 10 are exposed to ambient air. Fortunately, the sterile gas
or air within the variable fluid chamber 14 is not mixed with the
ambient air. Ambient air is not introduced into the variable fluid
chamber 14. Simply put, the variable fluid chamber 14 and the gas
contained therein remains sterile. After the syringe 10 has been
removed from the hermetically sealed package 12, the needle 16 is
inserted into the fluidic medication container 30. More
particularly, the needle 16 is inserted through a rubber stopper 32
of the fluidic medication container 30 and a distal tip 34 of the
needle 16 is positioned within the fluidic medication 18 contained
in the fluidic medication container 30, as shown in FIG. 4.
Optionally, the exterior surface 36 (see FIG. 3) of the rubber
stopper 32 may be sterilized before the needle 16 is pierced
therethrough. For example, a disinfecting cloth may be used to wipe
the exterior surface 36 of the rubber stopper 32. After the needle
distal tip 34 is positioned in the fluidic medication container 30,
the medical professional or user traverses the piston 24 toward the
filling position (see FIG. 4) which transfers the sterile air in
the variable fluid chamber 14 into the fluidic medication container
30 and pressurizes the same, as shown in FIG. 4. With the fluidic
medication container 30 pressurized and the distal tip 34 of the
needle 16 positioned within the fluidic medication 18 contained in
the fluidic medication container 30, the medical professional or
user traverses the piston 24 toward the retracted position, as
shown in FIG. 5. The traversal of the piston 24 toward the
retracted position transfers fluidic medication 18 from the fluidic
medication container 30 into the variable fluid chamber 14 and the
pressure in the fluidic medication container 30 assists in such
transfer. Thereafter, the needle 16 is removed from the fluidic
medication container 30 and inserted into the body of the patient
20, as shown in FIG. 6. The fluidic medication 18 is injected into
the patient 20 by traversing the piston 24 from the retracted
position toward the dispensed position (see FIG. 6). Once the
fluidic medication 18 is administered or injected into the patient
20, the needle 16 is removed from the patient 20 and discarded in a
safe manner.
[0027] Accordingly, the fluidic medication 18 injected into the
patient does not come into contact with ambient air during
operation of the syringe 10. Also, the inner contents of the
fluidic medication container 30 was not exposed to ambient air
during extraction of the fluidic medication 18. Accordingly, the
remaining fluidic medication 18 in the fluidic medication container
30 may be subsequently extracted for administration or injection
into a patient 20 until all of the fluidic medication 18 is
dispensed. For expensive medication, dispensing all the fluidic
medication 18 in the fluidic medication container 30 may be a
substantial savings to the hospital, medical professional, user or
purchaser of the fluidic medication 18.
[0028] In sum, there are two beneficial aspects of the above
described process, first, the fluidic medication 18 in the fluidic
medication container 30 may be fully dispensed thereby saving the
purchaser of the fluidic medication 18 a substantial amount of
money. Also, the fluidic medication 18 injected into the patient 20
is not exposed to ambient air during the entire process of
extracting the fluidic medication 18 into the fluidic medication
container 30 and ultimately injecting the fluidic medication into
the patient 20.
[0029] In another aspect, the syringe 10 may be a specialty
syringe. For example, the syringe 10 may be an automatically
retractable safety syringe. One type of automatically retractable
safety syringe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,236, issued to
Van Dyke, the entire contents of which is expressly incorporated
herein by reference. The retractable safety syringe 10 may comprise
a needle 16, needle holder 23, syringe body 22, piston 24, plunger
shaft 26 and thumb platform 28 as well as a piston seal (not shown)
and a shaft seal (not shown). The retractable safety syringe 10 may
have a variable fluid chamber 14 defined by the syringe body 22,
needle holder 23 and piston 24. Also, on the opposed side of the
piston 24, the retractable safety syringe 10 may have a variable
vacuum compartment. The variable vacuum compartment may be defined
by the piston seal, shaft seal and the syringe body 22. The
variable vacuum compartment assists in retracting or urging the
piston 24 back toward a retracted position during operation of the
retractable safety syringe 10.
[0030] The retractable safety syringe 10 may be sterilized and
packaged in a hermetically sealed package 12. Initially, the piston
24 of the automatic retractable syringe 10 may be at the retracted
position (see FIG. 1). The syringe 10 itself as well as the air or
gas in the variable fluid chamber 14 and the hermetically sealed
package 12 may also be sterile by packaging sterilized components
of the retractable safety syringe 10 in a clean room environment,
as discussed above.
[0031] To inject fluidic medication 18 into a patient 20, the
retractable safety syringe 10 may be removed from the hermetically
sealed package 12, as shown in FIG. 3. At this point, the exterior
surfaces of the retractable safety syringe 10 are exposed to
ambient air. Importantly, the variable fluid chamber 14 and the gas
or air contained therein is not mixed with ambient air and ambient
air is not introduced into the variable fluid chamber 14. The
needle 16 of the retractable safety syringe 10 is inserted into the
fluidic medication container 30 through the rubber stopper 32 of
the fluidic medication container 30. Optionally, the exterior
surface 36 (see FIG. 3) of the rubber stopper 32 may be disinfected
prior to insertion of the needle 16 therethrough. For example, the
exterior surface 36 of the rubber stopper 32 may be disinfected
with a disinfecting cloth. After the needle 16 is inserted into the
fluidic medication container 30, the sterilized air in the variable
fluid chamber 14 is transferred into the fluidic medication
container 30 to pressurize the same 30, as shown in FIG. 4. The
distal tip 34 of the needle 16 of the retractable safety syringe 10
is positioned within the fluidic medication 18 of the fluidic
medication container 30 and the piston 24 is traversed back toward
the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 5. The pressure in the
fluidic medication container 30 and traversal of the piston 24
toward the retracted position transfers fluidic medication 18 from
the fluidic medication container 30 into the variable fluid chamber
14. At no time was the fluidic medication 18 exposed to ambient
air. The needle 16 may now be removed and inserted into the patient
20. The fluidic medication 18 is now injected into the patient 20,
as shown in FIG. 6. The needle 16 is removed from the patient 20
and the syringe 10 discarded. At no point during the process of
injecting the fluidic medication 18 into the patient 20 was the
injected fluidic medication 18 exposed to ambient air. As such, the
above mentioned process ensures that the injected fluidic
medication 18 is not contaminated.
[0032] In an aspect, as shown in FIG. 2, a method is provided
wherein fluidic medication 18 contained within a sterilized
medication container is withdrawn from the fluidic medication
container 30 and injected into a patient 20 without the injected
fluidic medication 18 being exposed to ambient air. As such, the
fluidic medication 18 remains sterile throughout the entire process
of injecting the patient 20 with the fluidic medication 18.
Additionally, in another aspect of the method, the fluidic
medication 18 within the fluidic medication container 30 is not
exposed to ambient air when the fluidic medication 18 is extracted
from the fluidic medication container 30 via a syringe 10. In this
manner, the fluidic medication 18 in the fluidic medication
container 30 remains sterile even though the fluidic medication 18
in the fluidic medication container 30 may be repeatedly accessed
or extracted each time a patient 20 is to be injected with the
fluidic medication 18 such that all of the fluidic medication 18 in
the fluidic medication container 30 is depleted.
[0033] In the method, a first step may be providing 100 a
sterilized syringe 10 in a retracted position. The syringe 10 may
be sterilized by sterilizing each of the components of the syringe
10 and assembling the syringe components in a clean room
environment such that a variable fluid chamber 14 and gas in the
variable fluid chamber 14 is sterile. In a second step, fluidic
medication 18 may be provided 102 in a self-sealing fluidic
medication container 30. Before the needle 16 of the syringe 10 is
inserted into the fluidic medication container 30, a rubber stopper
32 of the fluidic medication container 30 may be sterilized 104.
For example, a disinfecting cloth may wipe the exterior surface 36
of the rubber stopper 32 to sterilize the rubber stopper 32. After
the rubber stopper 32 is sterilized, the needle 16 of the syringe
10 may be inserted 106 into the fluidic medication container 30
through the rubber stopper 32. The fluidic medication container 30
may be pressurized 108 with the sterilized air of the sterilized
variable fluid chamber 14. In particular, after the needle 16 is
inserted into the fluidic medication container 30, the syringe 10
is traversed toward the filling position. In this manner, the
sterilized air in the variable fluid chamber 14 is transferred from
the variable fluid chamber 14 into the fluidic medication container
30. After the fluidic medication container 30 is pressurized, the
fluidic medication 18 may be transferred 110 from the fluidic
medication container 30 to the variable fluid chamber 14 of the
syringe 10. In particular, a distal tip 34 of the needle 16 is
positioned within the fluidic medication 18 in the fluidic
medication container 30, as shown in FIG. 4. The syringe 10 is then
traversed back toward the retracted position. The pressure within
the fluidic medication container 30 and traversal of the syringe 10
back toward the retracted position urges the fluidic medication 18
through the needle 16 and into the variable fluid chamber 14. After
the appropriate amount of fluidic medication 18 is transferred into
the variable fluid chamber 14, the needle 16 is removed 112 from
the fluidic medication container 30. At this point, the fluidic
medication 18 is injected 114 into the patient 20 by inserting the
needle 16 into the patient 20 and traversing the syringe 10 toward
the engaged or dispensing position. The needle 16 is then removed
from the patient 20 and the syringe 10 discarded 118. Also, the
fluidic medication 18 of the fluidic medication container 30 is
stored 116 for subsequent use.
[0034] As used herein, the retracted position of the syringe 10 is
where the piston 24 is distanced from the needle 16. Typically, the
piston 24 is closely adjacent to the proximal end of the syringe
body 22. The filling position of the syringe 10 refers to the
syringe 10 before fluidic medication 18 has been filled into the
syringe 10. The piston 24 is closer to the distal end of the
syringe body 22 than to the proximal end of the syringe body 22.
More particularly, the piston 24 is closely adjacent to the distal
end of the syringe body 22. The dispensed position of the syringe
10 refers to the syringe 10 after fluidic medication 18 has been
filled into the variable fluid chamber 14 and the fluidic
medication 18 has been injected into the patient 20. The piston 24
is closely adjacent to the distal end of the syringe body 22 when
the syringe 10 is at the dispensed position.
[0035] The above description is given by way of example, and not
limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art
could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the
invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the
embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying
combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to
the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the
claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
* * * * *